Hooning in the Snow with Lamborghini

Supercars and snow are usually an ill-advised, YouTube-bound combination, but Lamborghini's Winter Driving Academy mines that unlikely pairing by showing off the cold weather hoonability of their all-wheel drive exotics.

The program is held a several times a year and attracts global participants-some of whom are Lambo owners, others simply hunting for new driving experiences; I sampled the program in the Italian town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, nestled in the Dolomite mountain range, alongside speed hungry guests from Russia and Singapore.

The event atmosphere is surprisingly casual, with the only chalk talk consisting of a 20-minute briefing followed by loads of seat time-just the way we like it. Using two Aventadors, four Gallardos, and two Gallardo Superleggeras (all with studded tires,) instructors convey rally-style car control techniques despite the inherent challenge of taming these high-horsepower, stiffly sprung sports cars. As I learned on my first day in the snow, Lambos are considerably trickier to wrangle in slippery conditions than, say, a Subaru STi, whose compliant suspension enables more communicative transfers of weight.

With the electronic nannies off, sliding these bad boys across ice is like wrestling a hyperactive ninja, requiring delicate throttle stabs and swift countersteers. The Aventador LP700-4's wide berth and 691 horsepower engine oozed a bit too much vigor for our tight course-though its electronically controlled Haldex differential was better equipped at routing torque to the front wheels than the Gallardo's rear-biased setup. My favorite? The taut but drift happy Superleggera, which offered the best steering feedback and most responsive dynamics.

The next three-day program runs in Mongolia this March, includes high-end accommodations, and will set you back €5,950 (around $7,800)-- pricey for me and you, but probably chump change for the average Lambo owner.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Popular Mechanics participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.